Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog

Maryland Traffic Accident News: Baltimore and D.C. Motorists Ranked at Bottom of Allstate “Best Drivers” List

September 21, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

If this seems familiar, unfortunately it is; Baltimore, MD, has been ranked as one of the cities with the worst drivers. Placing near the very bottom of the Allstate Insurance annual “Best Drivers Report,” residents who drive here are more likely to have an accident than almost any of nearly 200 metropolitan areas across the U.S.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys, we are not surprised by the findings, since our own experience from the standpoint of auto, truck and motorcycle accident law, as well as being motorists ourselves. Apparently not many Marylanders disagree with the results either, based on the comments coming from the public following the publishing of Allstate’s survey results.

According to news reports, the Allstate report lists 193 cities all across the United States and all but one of those ranked better than Baltimore. And, not only is Baltimore apparently a haven for bad drivers, Washington, D.C., is not much better. But then again, more than one person has likely pointed out that driving in the District is a risky venture, at least from the standpoint of being caught up in a traffic accident.

This report only confirms what many resident of this state already know, which is to always use extreme caution when operating a motor vehicle along any of Maryland’s numerous publics road. As we know ourselves, single- and multiple-vehicle collisions involving car and commercial trucks are not uncommon in places like Rockville, Annapolis, Columbia, and Bowie, MD.

According to the report, Baltimore finished almost dead last, just ahead of Washington, D.C., the worst city for avoiding a roadway wreck. Even Newark came out ahead of Baltimore and the District.

Maryland Pedestrian Accident News: Pasadena, MD, Man Killed on Roadside by Hit-and-Run Driver

September 18, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As motorists ourselves, we and the rest of the driving public here in Maryland can quite often the dangerous situations in which police officers and emergency responders find themselves on a daily basis. While patrolmen, firefighters and EMS personnel immediately come to mind when thinking about roadside car, motorcycle and trucking accidents, it’s easy to forget the sometimes overlooked tow truck driver.

As Baltimore auto, truck and motorcycle accident lawyers, as well as personal injury attorneys, we know that there are dozens of occupations that could be termed hazardous. And while it’s no surprise that high-iron construction workers and electrical linemen live their working lives on the edge, tow truck drivers and other roadside emergency personnel sometimes go unsung.

Over the past few years, police agencies have issuing policy changes to help their officers survive potential highway collisions while making traffic stops, attending to stranded motorists and controlling traffic at automobile and tractor-trailer crash scenes. The tow truck driver, many times on his own, is exposed to a high volume of vehicular traffic just scant feet away and whizzing by at 70mph or more.

It’s not surprising that these individuals make up a percentage of all roadway injuries and fatalities every year, across this state and the nation. Not long ago, a tow truck driver from the Pasadena area was killed by an alleged hit-and-run driver. According to news reports, 38-year-old James Schreiber, Jr. was helping the driver of a sewage hauler along a stretch of Rte 100 just before the Oakwood Rd. exit when he was reportedly hit by a Nissan sport utility vehicle that left the scene without stopping.

State of Maryland Bills Deceased Driver for Damage to Guardrail following Fatal Rte 32 Car Accident

September 17, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Some things that occur in this life are just not right, and everybody knows it. When an individual is seriously hurt or killed in a traffic accident, there are no words that one can say to the family of that victim, yet as friends, relatives and neighbors we try to offer some measure of comfort and condolence. Large organizations, while comprised of living, thinking and feeling persons, are less adept at providing a sympathetic ear or shoulder on which to cry.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers who serve the residents of Baltimore, Frederick, Hagerstown and the District, we see on a regular basis the pain and suffering that families and individual experience following horrendous trucking accidents, automobile collisions and motorcycle wrecks. The fact is, there are no words that can adequately ease the grief of a mother or father that has lost a son or daughter to a tragic roadway accident.

A while back, in May of this year, a young woman died in a fatal single-vehicle car crash along a stretch of Rte 32 in Columbia, MD. At the time, 21-year-old Sarah Stebbins was planning to enter Howard Community College in the fall. A 2008 graduate of Howard High School, Stebbins was a racing enthusiast and, according to news account, an award-winning equestrian rider; on the day of her death, Stebbins was coming home from her job at the Gray Pony Saddle and Tack Shop in Highland, Maryland.

According to news reports, the woman died when her vehicle crashed into a guardrail on Rte 32 after she apparently lost control of the vehicle. No mention was made in this latest news item whether or not the accident was a result of driver error or defective vehicle equipment. However, that is not the crux of the story.

Maryland Auto Accident News: Fatal Car Wreck on Baltimore-Washington Pkwy Kills Infant, Two Others

September 15, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

When it comes to personal injury, nobody wishes for it to happen, yet there are worse scenarios that can occur to a person or an entire family. As most every parent, grandparent or adult relative will tell you, it is hard to see a young child, sibling or grandchild injured in a senseless accident. Most parents would gladly take the place of an injured girl or boy rather than have that innocent person suffer the pain of injury for days or weeks, much less for a lifetime.

As Baltimore automobile and trucking accident attorneys, we can attest to the grief felt by family members following a terrible car, truck or motorcycle crash. And while most injuries heal over time, a fatal accident can be one of the most emotional events that a family can experience, especially when it involves the death of a youngster who hasn’t even known the world for long.

Nothing can bring back a life lost to a traffic collision; that is a fact. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my colleagues can only hope to help the survivors cope with the loss of a child through legal means, if necessary. It goes without saying that cases involving a lost loved one are probably the most difficult, due to the wide range of emotion and the anger that the victim’s family tends to hold against the individual who may have caused the accident to begin with.

Whether one lives or works in Annapolis, Gaithersburg, Rockville or the Washington, D.C., area, personal injury cases, as well as those involving wrongful death, are more common than one might expect. Following a road accident or car wreck, medical bills must be paid, as do other recuperative therapies, if the victim is to be returned to health as soon as possible, if at all possible. Even when it comes to loss of life, the victim’s family may still be responsible for any hospital costs.

Maryland Personal Injury News: Pickup Truck Driver Hospitalized after Fatal St. Mary’s County Traffic Accident

September 8, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

If you follow the news long enough, some traffic accident reports stick out as being either incredibly unlikely or based in a reality that most of the driving public hopefully has never experienced. Chronic drunk drivers, for example, can operate their vehicles in an inebriated state completely without incident for what seems like years, while a first-time drunken driver may hit another vehicle minutes after leaving the bar, causing a traffic accident with sometimes fatal results.

Other drivers just seem to have very poor judgment when operating their cars, trucks or motorcycles and seem to be involved in fender-benders on what seems like a recurrent basis. These people, whose insurance rates must surely go through the roof after several occurrences, might end up causing a serious accident themselves; sometimes one of these drivers tangles with an 18-wheeler tractor-trailer rig on the highway and causes a tremendous wreck, from which he or she might not walk away.

For the rest of us, we must exercise extreme caution when plying congested urban thoroughfares of cities like Annapolis, Washington, D.C., and Gaithersburg, as well as the high-speed expressways that connect them. From time to time, even the most competent drivers meet up with one of those so-called bad drivers with tragic consequences.

As Baltimore car accident attorneys and Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my staff know what it means to have a family member killed by a drunk, inattentive or otherwise negligent driver. There really are no words that can ease the suffering of a family that has lost a father, mother or sibling in such a senseless traffic collision.

Not long ago, a resident of St. Mary’s County, MD, was involved in two traffic accidents along Rte 5 both within minutes of each other; the second of which left two Maryland women dead. According to news reports, the apparently negligent driver was a 34-year-old man from Callaway who was behind the wheel of a 2007 Chevy pickup truck.

Maryland Car Accident and Personal Injury Update: What Follows a Serious Car or Truck Crash

September 3, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

For motorists here in Maryland who find themselves in the unenviable position of being caught in a serious injury accident involving another vehicle, such as a passenger car, city bus or commercial delivery truck, the pain of one’s injuries can be just the beginning of a long road to recovery — both physically and financially.

Whether one lives in Rockville, Annapolis, Gaithersburg or the District, a percentage of drivers will likely find themselves in a car or trucking accident sometime in the course of their driving career. The extent of that car, truck or motorcycle accident will depend on numerous factors, but those of a serious nature may have a significant impact on the victim and his or her family.

As Baltimore automobile accident attorneys and personal injury lawyers, my firm has a well-grounded knowledge of the law as well as the experience to know that most any car, truck or cycle wreck can result in an uphill battle with insurance companies and negligent parties.

When it comes to negligent individuals, such as a livery driver, commercial trucker, or even another passenger car driver who might have been distracted while talking or texting on their cellphone, these people already have their own representation through their insurance companies.

Baltimore Auto Accident News: One Road, Two Car Collisions, Multiple Injuries for Several Maryland Drivers

August 31, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Multi-vehicle collisions are a fairly common occurrence on Maryland’s roadways and interstates. What is rare, however, is two separate multi-car traffic accidents on the same stretch of road on the same day. As Maryland personal injury attorneys, we do not mean to lessen the gravity of any kind of car, truck or motorcycle wreck. Far from it; these kinds of accidents can cause a range of injuries from fairly minor to life-threatening.

Closed-head trauma, spinal cord damage and partial or total paralysis are some of the worst effects of a bad passenger car or commercial trucking crash. While broken bones — either simple or compound fractures — or internal injuries, such as collapsed lungs, ruptured spleen, or internal bleeding, can be just as critical to a person’s survival upon entering the emergency room for treatment.

Being auto accident lawyers here in Baltimore, I and my colleagues help a variety of clients to recoup treatment costs, lost wages, and other automobile accident-related medical expenses following a serious crash. Not only do we serve the residents of Maryland, we also provide legal services to victims of car, bus and pedestrian accidents in the Washington, D.C., area as well.

A few weeks back there was a news article that pretty much proves lightening, or in this case, traffic collisions, can strike twice in the same place. By this we mean within less than a football field’s length. As it happened, there was a set of two separate automobile wrecks along the same stretch of Harford Rd. the other day.

Baltimore Auto Accident Update: Aggressive Driving Causes 50 Percent of All Maryland Traffic Collisions

August 30, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As Maryland personal injury attorneys and drivers ourselves, it’s not hard to notice one the biggest threats to traffic safety on the road today. As many motorists already know, aggressive driving is a significant cause of many traffic wrecks these days. In fact, just standing on a street corner in Gaithersburg, Annapolis or even Washington, D.C., one can’t help but see some drivers behaving badly.

Whether a person is on the receiving end or not, it’s always a good idea to give an aggressive driver wide berth; and there’s a good reason to do this. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), it has been estimated that the cause of over 50 percent of all fatal passenger car and commercial truck accidents can be traced back to some kind of aggressive driving.

Of course, anyone who has survived a serious car crash knows how easy it is to end up with medical complications as a result, not to mention risk of long-term medical conditions that can persist for the rest of one’s life. The cost of treatment for chronic medical issues and long-term care can be a continual burden to an individual, as well as the victim’s family for months if not years following the initial traffic accident.

As Baltimore car accident lawyers, we’ve seen our share of traffic accidents and the resulting carnage wrought by so-called aggressive drivers. Some may hope, futilely it would seem, that someday we all might see motorists sharing the road in complete harmony with each other. All we can say is that human nature being what it is, don’t hold your breath waiting for that day.

Maryland Personal Injury News: Are Baltimore Accident Victims Getting Put on Hold during 911 Calls?

August 29, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

It could be an alarming trend or just a brief hiccup, but whatever the end result turns out to be, it’s a bit unnerving to read that 911 callers hoping for help in emergencies such as personal injury accidents, car and truck crashes, and the like might be placed on hold by an apparently over-worked system. The lost minutes or seconds could mean the difference between life and death.

Consider any situation where a driver and/or passengers of a car, SUV or motorcycle may have been injured after their vehicle is hit by a commercial deliver truck or other, larger motor vehicle — the thought of being put on hold during such a critical time is unthinkable in this day and age.

As Maryland injury attorneys, I and my staff understand how many victims of traffic accidents, car-pedestrian collisions and other driving-related wrecks would feel if we turned the calendar back to the days when there was no organized emergency response system. The emergency 911 system has been around in one form or another since the mid-1970s, but with the advent of cell phones over the past couple decades, almost anyone can get access to a 911 operator most anywhere in the country.

But getting through apparently can be an issue, according to a recent editorial in the Baltimore Sun. The author’s message in that article highlights an apparent nightmare experience with Baltimore’s 911 response system following a local car crash between the victim’s small passenger car, a much larger SUV and a minivan; it might just make some people think differently about driving into the city.

According to the article, the victim was driving through northeaster Baltimore on a Saturday afternoon in late July when she became involved in a multi-vehicle wreck. The author explained that she and her vehicle became, in essence, the collateral damage from this collision. Despite the severity of the roadway crash, the author explains that, amazingly, she was physically unhurt when she jumped out of her smashed vehicle and dialed 911 for assistance.

In what the woman describes as an “alternate reality,” her 911 call was answered by a canned voice stating, “Please wait for the next available representative.” Checking to make certain that she had dialed the correct numbers, it appeared right, but still she was put on hold by the 911 system.

Baltimore Auto Accident News: Medevac Choppers Help Get Victims of Traffic Accidents to Hospitals Quickly

August 28, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

How often have we all read the words, “Accident victims were evacuated to local hospitals by Medevac helicopter,” yet it’s not often that people give much thought to the life-saving advantages of a medical chopper flight to a not-so-local hospital. While many readers might consider medevac services truly useful only when an individual is injured in car accident that occurs in a remote part of the countryside, such as a state park or other more rural setting, it’s not uncommon to have emergency responders call for a medical evacuation chopper in instances where the best medical care more than a 30-minute ambulance ride from the scene of a severe car or pedestrian traffic accident.

The fact is, medevac helicopters can get a person injured in an auto accident to the right medical facility for treatment of specific or life-threatening injuries. It can be said that in a percentage of accidents, just taking an injured driver or passenger to the closest hospital may not be in that person’s best interest. This is especially clear in cases of traumatic brain injury — also known as closed-head injury — where the nearest local medical facility is poorly equipped for such specific and critical care.

As Baltimore auto accident lawyers and Maryland personal injury attorneys, I and my staff understand the importance of getting a car, truck or motorcycle accident victim stabilized as quickly as possible to avoid future complications. So many factors come into play following a highway collision that only the medical personnel at the scene can assess each victim and determine the most immediate and effective care.